Roller bearing



Feb. ia i927. mums R. E. WELLS ROLLER BERI NG Filed Dec. 26.` 1925 Patented lelnl, i927@ REGINLD E. WELLS, 0F .EMT GE, BEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL MOTORS acatar. assumer.

Exp-plicailon led Becember 26, 1323. Elcrial Hc. 682,659.

This invention relates to roller bearings and is herein shown as embodied in an imy proved roller and cage assembly for use between cylindrical raceways.

One well known form of roller bearing in use at the present day has a cage the heads of which .are provided with struck up projections or teats entering the ends oli' hollow rollers. These projections merely retain the rollers against loss in handling and do not act as trunnions or guide the rollers when in use, this guiding function being performed by tie-bars connecting the cage heads and lying between adjacent rollers. The connecting bars take up so niuch peripheral space that the number ol rollers that can be used is reduced and the Capacity of the bearing for load is so much lessened. The cages in such bearings are usually centered or supported by engagement with either the inner or the outer race andv both types have to be supplied for diderent conditions of use. `When a bearing roller is made of a helically coiled strip, the endinost convolutions present sharp points towards the cage heads and the ends of the roller are apt to have burrs which will cut into the cage heads unless faced oli or trimmed in some way. Each `end convolution and particularly the last part of the end convolution is weaker than a corresponding portion at the middle of the rollerand under load it is found that this 'part of the coil tends to unwind or spring outwardly beyond the circumference of the roller, thus causing a buro y An object of the invention 'therefore is to provide a roller and cage assembly which will avoid the above noted and other defects. In accordance with one feature, a hollow helical roller is sleeved loosely 'on each of a series of closely spaced tie-rods connecting. end rings of a cage head, the clearance lne-- tween the rods and the bores of the rollers being: less than the clearances between the cage heads and thc inner and the outer races,

the tie-rods performing the function of uniting the end rings, guiding and retaining the rollers, and supporting the cage head in a floating manner. 1n accordance with another eature, the ends of the helical rollers are cut away or bevelled at their peripheries for a distance preferably an appreciable fraction of the width of a single convolution, thus taking the load 0E the last part of a convolution and avoiding harmful `dedection of the sharp ends of the coil.

' To these ends and also to improve generally on devicesof this nature, the invention also resides in the various matters hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is an exploded view of the rollers and cage.

F igure 2 is a vertical section.

Figure 3 is an end view ot a roller cut oil1 square, illustrating somewhat diagrammatically the result of a load on such a roller.

Figure 4 is a side View of such a roller.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the end of one of the improved rollers of my invention, and

F igure 6 is a side View of modified form of roller.

The roller and cage assembly may be marketed with or without the. inner race rin` 1() and the outer race ring 12 between which the rollers and cage travel. The two opposite end rings or cage heads 14 and 16 are rigidly connected byY a series of closely spaced tie-bars 18 on which rollers 20 are sleeved, each roller hein formed of a helically coiled strip and eing of a length slightly less Vthan the distance between the end rings. Each tie-bar is shouldered as at 22 and the resulting;y extensions 2l are riveted a portion of a down into countersunlr. openings 26 in the end rings.

As shown best in Figure 2, there is a radial clearance between each tie-bar 18 and the bore of its roller, this clearance being purposely less than the clearance between the inner peripheries of the cage heads and the inner race ring l0 and also less than the i clearance between the outer peripheriesof the cage heads and the outer race ring 12. By this construction, no load is transmitted to the cage and the latter oats on the rollers. lnasmuch as coiled rollers are usually wound on s, mandrel, the bore is truly cylindrical andhin co-operation with the cylindrical tie-liars', the rollers are accurately guided with their axes parallel to the axisof the assembled bearing. The tie-hars therefore connectthe cage heads, support the cage in a floating manner, retaln the rollers Vagainst loss and also mide` them.'

des m co-opby utilizing the tie-bars as mi eration with the cylindrical ore of a coiled. roller, more rollers ucan hel incorporated 1n sa .i

roller the end faces of which are cut'ol stimare` with the axis andv 34 indicates the last fcolor convolution which ends in a sharp edge. When such a roller 1s supported between an innen race 30 andV an outer race 32 and; subjected to load, the end coil or convolution, and particularly the last partyof the end-coil or convolution, is so "l'n'ch weaker than a'corresponding part "non .the middle of the roller, that it tends tounwind or spring out as indicated at 38.

Hence, in] the o eration of the bearing there is a series ofv um` s and, if there 1s any axial movement of t le sharpedge'l beyond the end of the roller, the edge tends to cut into the cage heads. Accordingly, an important feature of my invention consists in 'chamfering or lieveling the ends of the rollers, as along the line 40. this cut preferably extending at least as far as t ye line 42. this,` line being' at a; distance from the end o the roller 'equal to anappreciable-raction of the Width of a convolution.. As will appear from Figure 5, this construction relleves the end of the coil from the load and,

if there isany outward deilection at the endof the coil 34, there is no interference with the race rings. The end of the coil acts to stiffen that part ofthe cpil which is subject to load and the long 'bevel also acts as a r@mide to facilitate slipping the cage assembly inside the race rings.

ed.v This also removes the load Figure shows a modified formvof roller in which.

signature. the end of theroller is cutout as at 44 insteadcf having its end chamfered or' bevelfrom the weakened'end of the coil.

Although the invention has-heen; described by reference to a. s e'cific embodiment it should be understoo that, in its broader aspects, the invention lis not necessa'i-ly lim ited to the precise construction selected for; illustrative pxrposes. l I-claim: An antifricticn hearing comprising radi-y ally-spaced inner` and outer .race-rings, a i cage between said rings and havingv annular heads spaced from each of them, a series of`5 guide bars extending between and fastened to said heads, and a`l circular series of` helically-wound centrally-hollow, load-su`pport ing` rollers between said rings and seid heads and approximately contiguous to each other throughout the complete circle of'lsaid series,

'each said roller having one of Said blc loosely received in it in guiding pronirnitff thereto end 'closer to the roller than'said heads are to either race-ring. whereby said vhars fasten the cage-.heads together, retain load, and thel maximum number of rollers is provideds-in the series; substantiallylas describedf f In testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my 70 REGIINALD E. WELLS. 

